Dr. Hess recalls making the decision to become a physician during her middle school years. She and her family moved multiple times during her youth, and this experience enables her to walk into an examination room and easily begin a conversation with even the most frightened or timid child or teenager. She and her husband have raised two daughters who are now young adults, and she is thus able to understand the perspective of her patients’ parents. In her spare time, she enjoys running, water sports, and snow skiing. She has also participated in medical mission trips to other countries.

When Dr. Hess reflects on her career as a pediatric cardiologist, she describes her role as more than a "job" but a true calling to serve other people. In order to provide the best care for her patients, she emphasizes the importance of listening and having compassion. She appreciates the many graduation announcements and correspondence she has received from her patients and their families and is proud to have played a role in her patients’ ongoing health and achievements. In this era of increasing emphasis on the business aspects of health care, she feels strongly that the humanitarian side of health care should never be forgotten.